Joe Rogan’s Opinion on Conor McGregor Withdrawing From UFC 303

Highlights

McGregor withdrew from his planned UFC 303 main event with Michael Chandler due to a broken toe.
Several of the Irishman’s rivals have mocked him for pulling out of the fight with what they claim is a minor injury.
Veteran UFC broadcaster Rogan disagrees, arguing that McGregor couldn’t afford to compete at less than 100%.

The MMA world lost its biggest fight of 2024 earlier this month when Conor McGregor was forced to pull out of his UFC 303 main event with Michael Chandler. When announcing the cancellation of the bout, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that McGregor sustained an injury during training, but didn’t share any further details.

Amid much mystery, the Irishman himself revealed on Friday why he had pulled out of the contest, citing a broken little toe as the reason why he wouldn’t be able to compete. A number of McGregor’s rivals were quick to poke fun at the UFC’s biggest superstar, with the likes of Islam Makhachev and Rafael dos Anjos mocking the 35-year-old for abandoning a major fight over the injury.

However, UFC commentator Joe Rogan holds a different perspective on the matter. Speaking on a recent edition of his podcast, Rogan defended McGregor, arguing that he had made the right decision.

Joe Rogan Praises Conor McGregor For UFC 303 Withdrawal Decision

The world-famous podcaster backed call to cancel the fight

“Here’s the thing about a broken pinkie toe. When you’re a guy who kicks as much as Conor, it’s a f***ing problem,” Rogan said. “It’s also the same foot where his leg was snapped, and he went into that fight injured.

“He’s never pulled out of a fight before. This is the first [fight] he’s pulled out of, and I think it’s wise. If you do have a broken toe and you are going into a fight… what if that f***ing toe becomes a real issue? What if he throws a kick, and it smashes again, and he’s in agony?”

McGregor snapped his leg in his defeat to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, a loss that marks his last UFC appearance. Without a victory to his name since January 2020, the sport’s biggest draw cannot afford another setback and explained as much in a statement to his fans on social media.

Conor McGregor’s 2019 Tweet About Broken Toes Looks Awkward Now

Back in 2019, Conor McGregor posted on Twitter about broken toes, and UFC fans have been quick to re-share it after the Irishman’s latest injury.

“We had a lapse in concentration. We engaged in a training session without wearing the full protective gear, and I hit the toe off the elbow and broke the toe clean. It takes a few weeks, that’s it. I couldn’t justify to my team or fans that I made the walk again. That walk has been seen. This next walk has got to be, and it will be, 100% Conor McGregor. The fans deserve it, and we are getting close.”

The former two-division UFC champion updated Severe MMA on his mindset following the injury. “The injury, I’m not going to lie, is painful, it’s very, very painful. Probably even more painful than the leg [break he suffered in 2021], and that’s the truth. I was in a dark place. I’m alright; I’m getting there and ready to go again.”

While no date has been set for the rescheduled fight, McGregor is keen on a new date. “August, September, I’d love. You know the way it is. I’m in recovery mode. As soon as.”

While fans around the world are understandably frustrated at not being able to see McGregor make the walk to the Octagon on Saturday night, he may well have made a decision that extends his fighting career in the long term.